New Details on Beijing Interference Revealed as 200 Chinese Students Bused-In for Han Dong
The committee of parliamentarians responsible for reviewing security matters has provided further details about Beijing’s interference in the nomination of MP Han Dong, including the involvement of Chinese students who potentially fraudulently voted for him.
The National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians (NSICOP) released its Special Report on Foreign Interference on June 3, based on approximately 4,000 documents. The report highlights how certain officials have “wittingly” assisted foreign states post-election.
Although Mr. Dong is not directly mentioned in this context, the report includes a section on his win in the Liberal Party nomination for the Don Valley North (DVN) riding of Toronto in 2019. His victory in the nomination was hotly contested.
According to the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), the People’s Republic of China (PRC) played a significant role in Han Dong’s nomination. The report reveals that “Many of Mr. Dong’s supporters arrived in buses [redacted] supported by the PRC: between 175 and 200 international Chinese students arrived in several buses.”
The report also notes that the Chinese consulate in Toronto knowingly violated Liberal Party rules regarding voter residency requirements in nomination contests, allowing non-Canadians over 14 to vote.
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A summary of a redacted case study reveals that the students allegedly “lived outside of the riding, were provided with fraudulent residency paperwork, and attempted to intimidate voters and distribute pro-Dong materials against Party rules.”
Mr. Dong has not responded to inquiries from The Epoch Times. The MP, now serving as an Independent, stated to the Foreign Interference Commission that he was unaware of these irregularities a few weeks prior.
In additional evidence submitted to the inquiry, Mr. Dong mentioned that he is uncertain if all the students voted for him, but believes most did as he visited the school during his campaign and encouraged their support by volunteering or joining the Liberal party if eligible.
Scrutiny
The DVN nomination case was heavily scrutinized during the commission’s public hearings, but the specific details revealed by NSICOP were not disclosed.
The assessment by CSIS regarding Beijing’s “significant impact” in the contest, as well as the number of alleged Chinese students involved in voter fraud and voter intimidation, were not previously shared.
Classified information provided by CSIS to the commission in a summary of intelligence with details redacted, suggests that there were “irregularities in the nomination […] possibly involving individuals close to PRC Officials.” The summary also reveals that Chinese students were issued fake documents to vote and threatened with visa cancellation if they didn’t support Mr. Dong.
The commission, having access to unredacted documents like NSICOP, heard from various stakeholders involved in the nomination process and related events, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Before the 2019 election, Mr. Trudeau was briefed on intelligence regarding DVN irregularities but opted to retain Mr. Dong as a candidate. He stated to the commission on April 10 that the information was not sufficient to overturn a democratic event.
Commissioner Marie-Josée Hogue, in her interim report dated May 3, stated that it is not the inquiry’s role to determine exactly what transpired in DVN in 2019, and that such determination would not be feasible based on the evidence presented.
While acknowledging the incident, Ms. Hogue noted that the DVN case serves as a prime example of how nomination contests can serve as “gateways for foreign states seeking to interfere in our democratic processes.”
Nominations
NSICOP reached a similar conclusion in its report, which was commissioned by Mr. Trudeau in March 2023. The committee reports directly to the prime minister, not to Parliament.
NSICOP highlights that foreign actors exploited the weaknesses in political party governance and administration during the review period. In addition to interference in nomination battles, there were efforts to influence or control riding associations.
The committee noted that CSIS considers nomination processes as vulnerable “soft targets” for foreign states. With some ridings deemed “safe seats,” foreign actors can sway the election of an official without tampering with the actual vote. Moreover, since nomination races lack oversight from enforcement bodies, detecting interference becomes challenging. Breaking party rules, while unethical, is not considered illegal, resulting in minimal repercussions for violators.
One of NSICOP’s recommendations to the government is the establishment of a legal framework to reduce vulnerabilities in political nomination processes.
In a statement dated June 3, Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc expressed the government’s openness to the NSICOP report.
“We will consider the Committee’s recommendations as part of our work to continuously refine and adapt our measures to counter foreign interference,” he stated.
However, Mr. LeBlanc emphasized that the government disagrees with certain aspects of the report, particularly in the interpretation of intelligence reports.
Recently, the minister introduced Bill C-70 to enhance resilience against foreign interference, including the creation of a foreign influence registry. The proposed legislation would also make it a criminal offense to interfere in political processes such as party nomination races.
